


More than Apologies

by musicalinny



Category: Black Clover - Tabata Yuki (Anime & Manga)
Genre: Apologies, Backstory, F/M, Fluff, I'm Bad At Summaries, Imagination, Matchmaking
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-28
Updated: 2020-06-28
Packaged: 2021-03-04 04:01:45
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,091
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24957289
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/musicalinny/pseuds/musicalinny
Summary: Gauche went there to apologize. That was it.Grey was supposed to be sleeping, not sharing stories about her life.Honestly, it was all Vanessa's fault.
Relationships: Gauche Adlai/Grey
Comments: 10
Kudos: 73





	More than Apologies

**Author's Note:**

> I just keep writing and writing and writing. I'm that bored.
> 
> I didn't include this in Aftermath because this was just a random idea my brain slapped on my face.
> 
> Also, I don't know Grey's backstory (her origin, if it was shown), so in this story I assumed that she was an orphan.
> 
> Also the base's ceiling had tiny holes in it. Just for the story. Hehe. Enjoy reading! Might post a Boruto fic next...

"Onii-san!" Marie Adlai ran towards her brother, a big smile plastered on her face. Gauche set down his huge sack full of trinkets for Marie and knelt down. "Ah, Marie! My beautiful angel Marie!" The man's nose bled continuously when Marie hugged him.

"Onii-san, how are you?"

"I'm fine, my dearest angel." He looked at Sister Theresa, who was scowling at him just like any other day he would visit. 

"Hey old hag! I'm taking my darling Marie on a date. You better not mess up her toys while we're gone."

"Fine, you creepy sister complex. Get the hell out and return her before sundown."

"Tch! Fine, hag." He snickered and held Marie's hand. The nun then smiled faintly at them when they turned their backs and walked towards town. "That bozo looks like he's changing a bit." She closed the church's door.

"This is so pretty!" Marie held out a flower ornamented hair clip. Gauche's nose bled again. "Ah, my beautiful, ethereal Marie..." he wiped his nose and a thing hit the back of his head. "Ow! What's with that?!" He turned around and saw a little boy running towards him. He had tears in his eyes. "I-I'm so sorry, sir!" He bowed deeply. 

Gauche glared at him and rubbed his head. "Tch. Fine. Now get lost." The boy shakingly nodded and walked away. Gauche sighed and plastered a smile on his face. He was not going to let a little boy ruin his date with his angel. "Oh, Marie-" Gauche froze. Marie was nowhere to be found.

"Ouch!" Marie scraped her knee. She was being pushed by a lot of people walking by because she was small. Holding the clip in one hand, she stood up and fixed her dress in another. "I think I'm lost..." she mumbled nervously and looked around. "Where is onii- ah!" A running kid stumbled upon her and made her lose balance. A pair of slender white arms caught her.

"A-Are you okay?" The person who caught her asked. She looked up and her eyes widened as she saw a very beautiful woman. The woman had bobbed bright blue hair and gray eyes full of concern. Marie nodded. "I'm fine! Thank you, umm..."

"Grey's my name." The woman smiled.

"Mmm! Thank you, Grey onee-san!" Marie stood up. "Ouch!" She held her knee, a little blood now dripping from it. Grey knelt down and looked at her wound. She pulled a handkerchief from her small bag. "This should stop the bleeding temporarily." She said. Marie smiled. Grey was so kind.

"Thank you, Grey-"

"My angel Marie!" A familiar voice rang throughout the plaza and the two looked up. A very angry Gauche was dashing towards them. "I've been looking everywhere for-" his eyes widened when he saw his sister's injured knee. He glared at Grey beside her. "Grey! What did you do to my dearest Marie?!" He took out his grimoire. Marie panicked. 

"Nii-chan! She didn't-"

"Mirror Magic: Reflect Refrain!" A light ray came zooming towards Grey. Immediately, she held out her hand towards it.

"M-Magic Conversion: Mirror to Wind!" The light ray turned into a gust of wind. Gauche snickered and walked rapidly to his sister. He gasped at her injury. "My darling Marie, are you okay?" He asked, looking at her like he hadn't tried to kill her savior a while ago.

"I'm fine, nii-chan. But you tried to hurt Grey nee-san! Meanie!" She slapped her brother's right shoulder. He looked dejectedly at her, hurt by her action. Grey walked towards him, fuming.

"Wha---What was that for, Gauche?!"

"That's for hurting my Marie!" He pointed an accusatory finger at her. Steam blew off from Grey's ears in anger. Forgetting the embarrassment, she lashed out in defense.

"I didn't hurt her! I was just trying to help her because she got lost!" Grey's fists were clenched tightly, but then a light bulb dinged on her head. "Wait... she's your sister?" Grey then looked at Marie who was looking at her apologetically.

"Of course she is!" He put a hand on the girl's shoulder. Grey, recovering from surprise, smiled widely and crouched down to her level. "Hello, Marie! I'm so sorry for shouting at your brother. I'm a member of the Black Bulls, the same as him." She pointed at the frowning Gauche in front of them.

Marie held back a delighted squeal and grabbed both of Grey's hands. "You're so pretty! Please take care of my brother!" She practically screamed in Grey's now flushed face.

Gauche went rigid at her reaction and retorted hurriedly. "S-She doesn't mean anything else by that!"

"I-I know!" Grey said back, pouting.

"Anyway, what brings you here?" Gauche managed to say calmly. Grey smiled and showed them a sack. "Gordon asked me to buy him candies and threads for his sewing. Oh!" She handed Marie a pink candy, in which the girl happily accepted. "Thank you!"

"No worries. So," Grey lifted her broom off the floor and lifted herself up. "See you some other time, Marie!" Marie waved at her. "Bye, onee-san!" She stuck her tongue out at Gauche before flying off.

"Seriously, that woman..." he mumbled. Marie heard him and looked up, only to be surprised when she saw his angry yet flustered reaction. "Onii-san, why is your face red?"

Gauche jolted upright and slapped himself. "N-Nothing, my angel! Oh it's almost sundown!" He retorted, marching away. "We have to get you back, sadly. Let's go!"

"Onii-chan, the church is the other way."

"O-Oh right!"

_

"Stupidsta! Stop banging your head on the table!" Noelle snapped at the boy beside her, who paid no attention to her while muttering "sister Lily, sister Lily, can't get married, why, why..."

"Tch. Let him be, Noelle. Probably shocked of finding out that women of the cloth like Sister Lily cannot get married." Magna said, holding his bat. 

"R-Royalty can get married, though."

Luck jumped in front of him. "Magna, let's fight!"

"No thanks, you bastard!"

Grey made her way inside the Black Bulls base. She put the sack on the table in front of where Gordon was sitting. He mumbled something indecipherable (as always), so she leaned in closer to hear.

"Thank you." Was what he was saying. Grey faintly grinned at him. "It's alright!" Then she made her way up to find her room.

"Gauche, welcome back. Drink with me!" Vanessa hazily said as he entered, raising a now empty beer bottle. He glanced at the drunk woman. "Not now, lush. Where's Grey?" He said. The pink woman looked at him, accusing.

"It was you!" She looked at him, murder evident in her eyes.

Gauche gaped at her. "What are you talking about?" 

"Grey came back crying. She looked devastated and it was because of you?!" She shouted. Asta and the others faced them, watching the commotion. A tick mark formed on his forehead. 

"What the heck?! You're just spitting out drunk nonsense, damn woman!" He spat back, offended. His stomach went cold as the thought of Grey crying because of him crept up to his head. 

"Noelle!" Vanessa whined, and the royal faced her, taken aback. Vanessa gave her a knowing look before wailing. "Poor Grey, she was crying when she came back here, right?"

"T-That's right!" Noelle said, voice high pitched and forehead sweating. "She was sad. I don't know why." 

Asta looked at her dumbfounded. "No, she wa-"

"Sea Dragon's Roar!" She brandished her wand and screamed. Asta along with Magna and Luck were swept away towards the woods as the water beast broke the wall.

"Why me?!"

"What the hell!"

"Oh, amazing! Hahahaha!"

Gauche looked at the two women, who were now staring daggers at him. "Apologize!" 

He bit back a scowl. Apologizing was not his thing.

But he did accuse her of something she didn't do. And she did help Marie. And he may have been such an ass to the girl he liked earlier-

Tch.

"Fine." He ranted and went up to find Grey's room. While going up the stairs, he thought of what to say next to his apology.

"Maybe I should tell her..." 

When he was out of sight, Noelle spoke up. "Vanessa, are you trying to play matchmaker again?"

Vanessa threw the bottle on the carpet floor. "So what if I am?"

"You know Captain Yami banned you from playing that after... last time, right?" 

"Last time? You mean when you flooded the whole base and almost drowned Asta?"

Noelle flailed her arms, blushing in embarrassment. "F-Forget that already!"

The woman giggled and took a swig of another bottle. "Don't worry, even Charmy's in it!"

"What?!"

_

*knock knock*

Grey pulled herself to sit up. Her limbs ached and her head hurt from lack of proper rest. She was just starting to fall asleep.

"This is so ridiculous." Gauche mumbled as he made his way towards her door. Sighing, he knocked. He was greeted by a very disheveled Grey. Her hair was a mess and her eyes were red. He winced. Did she cry that hard?

The girl shrieked when she saw him. "G-G-G-Gauche! Wh-What brings you here?" She looked at him nervously. 

"I have something to tell you."

"O-Oh?" Grey opened her door wider for him to come in but he shook his head. "In my room. It's kinda important."

The girl pursed her lips and nodded as he led her through the twists and turns of the corridor until they stopped in front of an oak door. 

The door looked like it was painted. Grey squinted, and she could see a carving of Marie's face on its wood. She bit back a laugh. 

Typical Gauche.

He opened the door and entered first. Grey just stood there, thinking whether or not she should enter. After all, this was a boy's room.

Gauche's room, her mind whispered and her face flared.

Stop it, stop it, stop it!

Just as she closed the door, the two heard a familiar voice. 

"Cotton Creation Magic: Cotton Binding Ball!" A flicker of light was seen from the crack. Gauche tried to pull the door open, but hissed when it didn't budge. "Domehead! Open this door!" 

"Nah-uh! You stay there, la!" Charmy said in a sassy tone. He gritted his teeth. "Fine. Then I'll just have to blast open-"

"Henry, now!" Gauche irked at the familiar name. "What is it now, Domehead?!"

"C-Charmy! What's going on?" Grey asked panicking. A rumble was heard as Henry spoke. "Got... it..."

Suddenly, the window giving light to Gauche's room was blocked by a wall, putting them in extreme darkness. He banged on the door. "What the hell is your problem?! Let us out damnit!"

"I... cannot..." Henry spoke. "Good... bye..."

Grey felt herself shivering. She was alone. With Gauche. In the dark.

"N-N-N-N-Nooooo!" She wailed and stopped abruptly when a small portal opened before her. A hand from it dropped a lantern into her hands. "That's for you two to use! Goodbye!" The portal closed.

"Damn it, Finral too? What the heck do they want?" Gauche mumbled angrily.

_

"Charmy! News?" Sober Vanessa called her. Charmy put up two thumbs up and grinned. "Mission accomplished."

"Yes!" The people aware of what was going on cheered. Asta, Magna, Luck and newly arrived Finral were filled in with details by Noelle. 

"Oh so you were playing matchmaker?" Asta said. Noelle nodded, looking at Vanessa. "What are we supposed to do now?" 

"We wait." Vanessa said. "Although Henry blocked the whole room so we wouldn't hear too much... unsettling noise."

"Noise?"

"Oi, idiots." Yami entered the common room. He pointed at the ceiling. "Why are you guys having a meeting? And why the hell is the second floor utter chaos?"

"Vanessa's at it again, Captain." Magna said. Yami scanned them for a few seconds, and huffed. 

"Gauche and Grey, huh. Whatever. I'm gonna take a dump. Don't bother me if you still like your bones intact." He then left. Vanessa tiptoed over Finral and put two things on his hand. "I need you to give them this." 

"A lantern?" He asked. "And..." he squinted to read the scribbles. He grinned mischievously at her. "Vanessa, you prepared woman."

"I know, right?"

_

"G-Gauche!" Grey called out. He looked at her. "What is it now?"

"I found this taped to the lantern." She held up a white vial. He pointed at it. "That's an antidote."

"An antidote? For what?" Grey touched her forehead. "I'm not sick."

"Give me that." Gauche took it from her hands and illuminated it with the lantern. He sniffed it. There were tiny scribbles written at the vial.

"This is an aphrodisiac. Thank me later!

\- Vanessa"

Gauche almost dropped both. What the hell were they thinking?! He looked at Grey who was trying to peek on what he was looking at. He smashed the bottle on the floor. Grey shrieked.

"What was that about? Maybe it was juice!" She said and followed him when he sat on his bed. She sat beside him. Gauche sighed.

"I'm sorry about earlier."

"H-Huh?" She asked, confused.

"About... accusing you of hurting Marie." He mumbled. "Sorry."

He saw Grey's smile through the dim light of the lantern. 

"It's okay, Gauche. I understand where you came from." There was softness evident in her voice, and Gauche felt like it was soothing him. "I have a sibling too. In the orphanage, I mean. You get what I'm saying, right?"

He nodded, amused by the fact that she was sharing a story of her life. Also because she wasn't a stuttering mess.

"As a big sister, I feel mad if someone would hurt them intentionally. But in instances, like when they get hurt in playing, I would just laugh and give them hugs."

She sighed and remembered the days when she would run around the orphanage with the others before it closed. Her smile fell and the man took notice of it.

"What... happened to the orphanage?"

Her shoulders slumped. "A noble family bought it, saying that they wanted it for parties and stuff. They kicked us out."

Gauche felt his jaw tighten.

"Sister Sally had to make a big tent from sticks and cloth just so that we could have a place to sleep in." She said, sadness evident in her voice as she spoke. "It was a struggle sleeping, really. Sometimes I'd volunteer to sleep outside by the fire so that the young'uns have more space. Sister worked her bones everyday in many jobs just so that she could buy us even scrimps of food, but..."

Her expression was now completely smothered by sadness and with the lantern's dim light, he saw her eyes beginning to water. Her shoulders shook.

"Eventually, she overworked herself and... you know. After that, the kids went in chaos. Us older ones tried to help them, but they wouldn't listen. They started to steal food from markets, pickpocket merchants, and get into fights. Most of them were captured and made into slaves. Some of the lucky were adopted into homes and the others... gone. I got separated from the rest, and a merchant took me in. He was kind to me at first, but started beating me for no reason. I ran away and stayed in the streets. People would stare at me, some even gave me food. Maybe they found aquamarine colored hair interesting. That's why I transform and then I began to get shy in my true form. After that, I met Captain Yami..." she smiled faintly. Gauche lightly tapped her shoulders and she snapped out of her trance, rubbing her cheeks furiously. "I-I-I'm sorry! I may have said too much..."

"It's alright. For the record, you didn't stutter." He pointed out, amused. Grey flushed, hoping that he didn't see it.

"I-I-I--"

"What?"

"I-! N-N-Nevermind!"

Then something strange happened.

Gauche laughed. 

With the dim light, Grey saw the way his small eyes got even smaller as his lips stretched into a big upward curve, teeth glinting with light. She was awestruck.

"Gauche... you laughed!" She gasped.

"Oh." Gauche went serious. "I guess I did. You looked stupid." Grey felt a frown forming on her lips but it stopped when something happened again. 

He smiled at her genuinely. "It felt great."

She beamed at him in return.

Silence. Until Grey, the ever curious being that she was, asked him a question.

"Can you tell me... about yourself?"

He stayed silent, with Grey starting to slap herself internally for that. "I-I'm sorry! I didn't m-mean to make you-"

"I'm a noble."

Grey stilled. "What?"

"Me and Marie," he sighed and she listened intently, "are nobles from Adlai family. When our parents died, our relatives banded against us and kicked us out so they have our family's money to themselves."

Grey gasped. "Oh, Gauche I'm so sorry."

"Don't be." The boy said and she nudged him to continue, "Because we had no money, I began to steal food for Marie. Until I was detained and Marie was sent to church, away from me." 

His fists clenched. "It was okay, you know. At least Marie was fine. Then one day," he said as if he was reminiscing it, "A breakout happened, and I stumbled upon Captain Yami. I challenged him, then I lost. Instead of finishing me off like normal Magic Knights would do to a prisoner, he gave me this robe and told me to join here when I've sobered up." He grinned, holding the Black Bulls insignia on his robe.

Grey sighed happily and clapped her hands. "We have Captain to thank for accepting us as we are, right?"

Gauche looked at her, still grinning. "Yeah, sure."

A few minutes of silence ensued before Gauche hissed, "How long do you think we'll be stuck here?" 

"I don't know," she shrugged, putting the lamp on the small table as she let out a yawn, "Where's the sofa? I'm sleepy."

"On the far left."

"Thanks." She mumbled, walking towards it. Unceremoniously plopping herself down, her hip hit a hard object. She shrieked, "Ow!"

"Oh, I forgot to tell you." Gauche mused, dim lighting hiding his smirk, "It's made of wood."

"I see that now, thank you very much." Grey harrumphed, rubbing her hip. "Where am I going to sleep?"

"On the bed." He said.

"Okay," Grey made a beeline towards his bed and practically jumped to the fluffy cushions, making herself comfortable, "And where are you gonna sleep?"

Gauche laid down beside her, trapping her between him and the wall. "On my bed, where else?"

Grey sat up abruptly and looked at him, mortified. "W-W-Wh-What?!"

Wincing, he put his hands on his ears, "Stop shrieking, woman! It's not like we're gonna do anything immoral!"

"B-But-!"

A high-pitched "uwah!" escaped her lips as Gauche held her by the shoulder and pulled her down beside him. She automatically turned away, facing the wall. Gauche turned to the other side and their backs pressed together.

*thump thump!* 

Calm down, Grey, she thought. Calm down. Calm down. Calm-

She felt something cold tickle the back of her neck.

"Yaaaah!" She squealed, twisting under the blanket. Gauche jolted at her sudden action and grabbed the lamp, "What's wrong?! Are you alright?!"

Slapping her nape, she stood up and fumbled. Because it was dark and the lamp's light was about to fade, she couldn't see, stumbling upon Gauche on her panic. 

Gauche's back hit the cold floor with a thud and he groaned in pain. Gritting his teeth, he felt something soft pressed against him and he knew exactly what it was.

Blindly putting his hand on her head, he prepared to lash out at her, "Oi, Grey-"

The small body against him shivered.

Surprised, Gauche went silent. He heard hushed sobs from Grey as she gripped onto his shirt, small drops of tears staining his shirt. Sighing, he casted an illuminating spell. 

The reflected light made it easier for him to see her clearly.

She was still crying, staining his shirt.

He rolled his eyes and shook her shoulders. "Oi. Oi! Stop crying!"

"I hate spiders..." she mumbled, gripping to him tighter. He looked at the ceiling, found the problem and pinched her cheeks. 

"Ow ow ow ow!" She shouted, "W-W-What?"

He pointed at the ceiling, where water was leaking. "It's water, dummy. Leaking."

"Oh." She sat up straight and giggled, masking her hundred-mile high embarrassment. "I-I-I'm sorry for that!"

He huffed and rubbed the wet part of his shirt. "Move the bed and sleep. I'm just gonna change."

"S-Sure." Grey said, fidgeting with her fingers and did as he said.

Gauche flinched as he put on a new shirt. What he said sounded awfully... domestic. Cringe.

Laying down, he faced the other side and cancelled his spell, sending them into darkness. His thoughts raced wildly. 

Only Captain Yami knew of his life, and it took a lot of convincing and threats for him to open up.

So why did he open up to Grey with no hesitation at all?

Rubbing his forehead in frustration, he laid still, sleep refusing to give him even a slap. Until he heard Grey's soft snores did he feel oddly at peace. He aligned his breathing's timing with hers.

"Grey." Gauche muttered. No response.

"Grey." He tried again. None again.

"I like you." He said.

...

...

..-

"WHAAAT?!" The girl screamed and sat up, looking at him incredulously. Gauche looked at her weirdly and realization hit her because she just blew her cover.

Flailing, she waved her left hand vigorously, the other covering her red face. "I-I-I-I'm-! Gauche!"

The boy snapped out of shock and grinned at her. "What?"

She pointed a shaky finger at her. "D-Don't just tell jokes like that! It's s-s-surprising!"

"What if I wasn't joking?" Gauche crossed his arms. Grey stopped and just stared at him, dumbstruck.

Swallowing a big lump in her throat, she spoke softly. "Y-You don't mind?"

"Mind what?"

"That I'm... older than you?"

"Who gives a fuck about age? Certainly not me."

Sighing in relief, Grey took his hand and squeezed it. She saw him taken aback by her brazen action. "I... like you too, actually."

"So... what does that make us?"

"I d-don't know. I-In a relationship?"

Her face heated up rapidly.

Gauche's grin widened. "Yay."

"You sound disinterested. Maybe we should break up."

"You're fucking kidding, right?" He exclaimed, exasperated as she laid down, not facing him to hide her wide smile.

He was such a child.

Gauche shook her shoulders. "Oi, you're kidding right? Take that back!"

"Only if you call me onee-san."

"No way in hell!"

_

"So you're really my onee-san?" Marie asked, beaming with joy. Grey crouched and patted her head. She looked at nervous Gauche and smiled. "I guess I am."

"Yay! Onii-chan, I am so happy!" Marie gave his brother a hug. Gauche's nose bled. "A-Anything for you, my angels."

"Angels?" Sister Theresa walked in, sneering playfully at Gauche. "Seems like you got over being a sister complex. What a miracle!" His eyes widened. "Hey old hag! That was rude!"

"I can say what I wanna say. I'm taking care of little Marie, after all."

"Why you-"

"Gauche-senpai! Miz Grey!" Asta called out, Vanessa trailing behind him.

"What are you doing here, musclehead?" Gauche asked. Asta waved at Marie.

"I asked Miz Vanessa to drop me off here. I was gonna visit the kids."

Gauche stepped towards Vanessa and glared at her, "What the heck were you playing at?!" He whispered. Vanessa laughed and bumped his shoulder.

"Did you drink the liquid?"

"Hell no!"

"I knew you wouldn't. It was apple juice." Vanessa laughed, making the boy grit his teeth. "You witch!"

"But seriously though," the woman put her hands on her hips and grinned widely at him, "you could've used your magic to blast your way out of there."

Gauche froze.

What the hell?

Why did he not think of that?

Vanessa giggled and swatted his shoulder. "You can just say that you wanted to be alone with Grey~ come on, you virgin sister complex!"

"Shut up!"

"Nah-uh!"

"Mirror Magic: Reflect Refrain!"

Rogue tapped a paw on her shoulder, and the ray hit the wall of the church, leaving a big, gaping hole. A tremendous mana flared behind him and he turned, seeing Sister Theresa charge at him, blazing fire coming out of her fist.

He gulped, Grey and Marie laughing as he ran for his life.

Vanessa was already on her broom, flying away and cackling like the witch she was.

"I have so much to tell Charmy. What booze should I buy next..."


End file.
